Police this morning announced the arrest of a 41-year-old pharmacist for allegedly stealing pain killers.
Michael Bendell, of Monroe, was arrested July 1, according to information from Detective Ben Trabka.
Bendell is a pharmacist at the Bridgeport Avenue Stop & Shop.
The arrest comes after a two month probe into missing medications at the pharmacy. Pain killers stolen included Hydrocodone, Lortab and generic forms of Vicodin.
The investigation began internally, Trabka said in a prepared statement, after supermarket employees noticed the medication was missing.
They later contacted police.
Police believe Bendell stole more than 1,000 pills from April 2008 to February 2009, including about 552 pills in January alone.
Bendell was arraigned in court in Derby July 1. He was released on a $20,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Derby Superior Court on July 15.
He is charged with:
— Illegal possession of a narcotic substance
— Illegal possession of a narcotic substance within 1,500 feet of a day care
— Illegal possession of a narcotic substance with intent to sell
— Illegal possession with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a day dare
— Third degree larency
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, management at the pharmacy began noticing missing pills in January 2009.
The staff started keeping hand counts of the two medications and store security installed a hidden video camera on the shelf where they were stored.
Bendell was caught six separate times on the camera, according to the warrant. Police said when they spoke with Bendell, he admitted taking the pills without paying, and said he was giving them to a friend.
Bendell also told police he took pills from the Norwalk and Milford pharmacies while working as a floater for those stores, the warrant says.
